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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss, Oklahoma State Slated for DH in Stillwater
3/24/2016 | Softball
Ole Miss Game Notes - Oklahoma State
Games 33-34
Ole Miss (25-7, 2-4 SEC) at Oklahoma State (15-12, 0-0 Big 12)
Date: March 25, 2016
First Pitch: 4 p.m./6:30 p.m.
Location: Stillwater, Okla.
Venue: Cowgirl Softball Complex
Capacity: 750
Dimensions: L-190, C-220, R-190
Watch: Fox Sports Plus (Regional Only)
Series: Oklahoma State leads, 4-1
Last Meeting: Feb. 25, 2001
Ole Miss lost, 6-0
Stillwater, Okla.
Live stats: OKState.com
Twitter Updates: @OleMissSoftball
LEADING OFF
- Ole Miss hits the road for its longest trip of the season this weekend to Stillwater, Oklahoma.
- The two programs will be meeting on Friday for the first time in 15 years, renewing the series that first started in 1997. In the first three years of the program, Ole Miss played the Cowgirls four times coming away with one win, before last facing off in 2001.
- Friday's games puts the Rebels on the road nine out of the last 10 days after last weekend's series at No. 13 Kentucky. When the Rebels return home Saturday prior to Easter Sunday, it will have capped a near 2,000-mile road trip in the last 10 days combined.
- For the first time all season, Ole Miss appeared in both top-25 national polls Monday, receiving two votes in the USA Today/NFCA poll, and 15 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll.
- With the first release of the NCAA RPI Monday, the Rebels checked in at No. 29.
- Ole Miss is coming off a 7-3 win over Memphis Tuesday night heading into the non-conference weekend.
- It took the Rebels just 30 games to break the previous school record for stolen bases, as the Rebels now have 99 on the year in 114 attempts, a mark that ranks second in the NCAA behind Marshall's 100.
- With 25 wins entering Friday, the Rebels have already matched or surpassed 14 of the program's previous season's win totals (2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1997).
- The Rebels have been stellar in the field, committing just 20 errors on the year for a fielding percentage of .978 that ranks second-best in the league and eighth nationally.
- Ole Miss has had 30 different lineup combinations through 32 games, only starting with the same lineup twice. 10 different Rebels have started as the team's designated player, while only Hailey Lunderman at shortstop is the only player to start every game at her position this season.
- Lunderman is sixth in the SEC in hitting with a .442 clip and 46 hits overall. She's also second in at-bats (104) and eighth in the league in stolen bases at 14.
- The Rebels are hitting .309 on the year with runners in scoring position led by Becker's .444 clip.
SCOUTING REPORT
Oklahoma State heads into the pre-Easter doubleheader 15-12 on the year. The Cowgirls were picked to finish fifth of seven schools in the Big 12 Preseason Coaches Poll. The Friday doubleheader marks just the eighth and ninth home games for OSU thus far, and comes as a primer for the Big 12 slate that begins next week.
The Cowgirls opened their 2016 slate with three-straight weekends of tournament play in Texas, Florida and California. OSU went 2-3 in opening weekend at the Centurylink Classic in San Marcos, before winning two games the next weekend in Clearwater, Fla. The Cowgirls faced two SEC teams to open tournament play in the Sunshine State, falling to Tennessee (14-4) and Auburn (6-1). From there, OSU trekked west for a tough slate at the Mary Nutter Classic, dropping games to tough opponents in San Diego State, Cal State Fullerton, Michigan and Oregon. Since, OSU has won 10 of its last 12 games, eight of which were at home.
As a team the Cowgirls are hitting .295 led by Taylor Lynch's clip of .400. Tiffany Mikkelson leads the club with six home runs and 27 RBI. She's slugging .641 on the season and also has seven doubles, while Red Reasnor has four long balls and 23 RBI. The Cowgirl defense has committed 32 errors thus far for a .960 fielding percentage, while the baserunners have swiped 38-of-45 bags against opponents.
Just three pitchers have carried the load for OSU thus far as Kacy Freeze and Brandi Needham have primarily split time in the circle. Freeze is 8-5 on the year with a 3.74 ERA in 82.1 IP, while Needham is 4-6 with a 4.29 ERA. Shea Coats has thrown 29 innings in the circle for the Cowgirls, and is 3-1 on the season with a 5.55 ERA.
ON DECK
The Rebels return home to the Ole Miss Softball Complex Tuesday, March 29, for a 6 p.m. contest against Samford.
For all Ole Miss Softball news and information, go to OleMissSports.com and follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissSoftball, on Facebook at Ole Miss Softball and on Instagram at Instagram.com/olemisssoftball. Fans can also follow head coach Mike Smith on Twitter at @msmithsb16. Additionally fans can get a behind the scenes look at Ole Miss Athletics on Snapchat under the handle, @WeAreOleMiss.
